Chaos spreads to every corner of God Valley.
Dragon, clad in a large hooded cloak, clutched two infants in his arms as he moved swiftly through the sounds of gunfire and shouting.
He had to ascend the battle lines where the Marine and pirates were intertwined to take these two innocent lives away from this hell.
"Just endure a little longer! Once we reach the coast and find a warship..."
Dragon whispered soothingly, more like he was psyching himself up, as his eyes scanned ahead for a path to the coastline.
However, behind him, a gaze locked onto his back.
"Hmm? A pirate... no, a Marine... what is he holding in his arms?"
A tall woman in a tight combat suit stepped out from behind a tree, her gaze falling on Dragon's retreating back.
"Ah, found him! This is the Marine carrying the infants!"
The tall woman opened her mouth, full of sharp fangs, and light condensed within!
Buzz—Boom!!
A blazing light cannon blasted out instantly. Dragon only had time to instinctively tilt his body slightly before the light cannon tore through the air and pierced his right arm!
"Mission accomplished easily," the tall woman said coldly into her transponder snail, ceasing her attack and elegantly brushing off non-existent dust.
"Thanks to you, Maffie!" a relieved male voice came from the other end of the transponder snail.
"Otherwise, if Galin Saint found out, I would definitely be killed by him!"
Dragon fell heavily to the ground, the powerful impact leaving a long trail on the earth.
The intense pain and impact left him momentarily unable to move, and the two children in his arms disappeared from his grasp, falling somewhere unknown.
A member of the God's Knights, Maffie Saint of the "Thatcher Family," approached with leisurely steps.
She first bent down and picked up the red-haired baby boy—Shyamrock—who was only the size of her palm.
"Tsk, that Galin... so he actually has a child like this out there?" She weighed him with interest, then her gaze fell on Dragon, who was trying to struggle to his feet.
"As for this kidnapper... what a strange guy. Clearly a Marine, yet he dares to defy the orders of the Celestial Dragons."
Dragon lay on the ground, the agonizing pain and weakness in his right arm making it difficult to rise; a surge of regret and indignation almost consumed him.
He looked at the child in Maffie's hand and reached out with all his strength, trying in vain to take him back.
(Wait! No... I can't let them be taken! These two children... are my 'redemption' for participating in this crazy, filthy game of genocide!)
Noticing his futile efforts, Maffie clenched her left hand, and a magnificently decorated but chillingly cold longsword appeared in her hand.
The tip of the sword pointed at the center of Dragon's back as Maffie said contemptuously, "Farewell, you ignorant young man..."
For some reason, Shyamrock, whom she was holding, suddenly burst into loud cries.
Dragon closed his eyes, his consciousness beginning to blur as countless innocent faces who had died in God Valley flashed through his mind.
(Is this my end... to be buried in this land, sinking along with those departed souls... perhaps, this is the retribution I deserve...)
Just as Maffie applied force to her wrist, prepared to thrust the longsword down—
"!!!"
Her expression changed drastically, as if she felt something extremely terrifying, and the longsword in her hand began to tremble slightly! She snapped her head around, looking toward the center of the island in disbelief!
At the same time, the Gods Knights scattered across God Valley—whether they were continuing the hunting game or fighting the landed pirates—all froze, horror written on their faces!
On a distant hilltop, Saturn of the Gorosei, who had been leisurely watching the battle, also stood up abruptly, his cloudy eyes filled with shock!
All the Gods Knights, including Maffie and Satan Saint, growled in shock almost in unison:
"Samaz!! Is dead?!!"
This sudden premonition caused a fatal pause in Maffie's movements!
Swish—!!!
Before she could recover from the shock, a wide-range slash swept across, cutting the large forest behind her along with her waist in half!
"Aaaaah—!" Maffie let out a shrill scream.
Dragon was also startled by this sudden turn of events and opened his eyes.
In the next moment, several mountain-sized figures, accompanied by footsteps and arrogant laughter, burst into his field of vision.
"Gurarara! I wasn't aiming for you! It's the trash blocking the way ahead!" Newgate strode at the forefront, carrying Murakumogiri on his shoulder.
"Stop lying, Newgate! That strike of yours almost cut me down too!" Golden Lion Shiki floated in mid-air, grumbling, his twin blades "sakura ten" and "kogarashi" gleaming with cold light.
"Newgate! This isn't the easy treasure-grabbing you told me about! Why are there troublesome guys everywhere!"
A young Kaido swung his thick Hassaikai, looking impatient.
Hiding behind a tree stump, Dragon watched the three of them, a storm raging in his heart:
"Whoa! These... what's with these giant pirates?! They're simply monsters!"
The three monsters charged ahead, and behind them, a massive crowd of pirates followed, hoping to make a name for themselves.
"It's the executives of the Rocks Pirates! If we can take them down, we'll be famous!!"
The World Government's reports were proving their effectiveness at this moment.
Newgate, Shiki, and Kaido stopped simultaneously, their expressions strange: "Huh?!"
Shiki picked his ear, looking absurd: "Hey, hey... I thought these guys were like us, coming for Shakky or the treasure?"
In the next second, the three of them erupted with terrifying momentum, roaring:
"Go home and go to sleep!! You bunch of reckless small fry!!"
Boom! Bang! Thud!
The atmosphere cracked as Murakumogiri swung, sakura ten and kogarashi slashed out a rain of swords, and Hassaikai swung like the heavens were collapsing!
In just one encounter, those charging small-fry pirates were like leaves swept up by a gale, screaming as they were all blown away, leaving the scene in a mess!
Watching this scene from the side, cold sweat poured down Maffie's forehead, making her temporarily forget her pain: "What on earth is going on on this island?! And Samaz... how could he die?!"
Once the surrounding pirates had completely disappeared, Dragon, leaning against the tree stump, muttered in disappointment!
"Did I... escape successfully? But... the children were taken! Huh?"
Endless regret and weakness washed over him, but just as he was in despair, out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see something red.
He looked down—
An infant with a large bump on his head was lying quietly on the grass, eyes closed and mouth slightly open, "sleeping" soundly.
Maffie's attention had been completely diverted by Samaz's death and the Rocks executives, and she hadn't even noticed that one child had been left behind!
A surge of joy from surviving a hopeless situation instantly dispersed Dragon's despair. He quickly stood up and hugged the unconscious child.
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